Milpitas High School”s Theatre program will be putting on its fall production of “Almost, Maine” from Thursday, Nov. 19 through Saturday, Nov. 21. at the Milpitas High School Theatre. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Welcome to Almost, Maine, a town that”s so far north, it”s almost not in the United States–it”s almost in Canada. And it almost doesn”t exist. Because its residents never got around to getting organized. So it”s just…Almost. One cold, clear Friday night in the middle of winter, while the northern lights hover in the sky above, Almost”s residents find themselves falling in and out of love in the strangest ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. Love is lost, found and confounded. And life for the people of Almost, Maine will never be the same. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1692564217644993/.

ESL club

Come to Milpitas Public Library, 160 N. Main St., to participate in a free English as a second language club on Fridays from 10-11 a.m. Librarians and fellow learners will help you improve your English listening and speaking skills. This is for English language learners at all levels. Chat topics will include American culture, life skills and current events. Speak more English, make friends and learn new words. No sign-up is required. For more information, call (408) 262-1171, extension 3617.

”A Little Princess”

Center Stage Performing Arts presents the musical “A Little Princess,” adapted by Vera Morris from the book. This engaging musical, which runs Nov. 13-21, was adapted from the classical story by Frances Hodgson Burnett. All performances take place at Sal Cracolice Building, 540 S. Abel St. Performances will be on Friday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 21 at 2:30 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 for general admission and advanced sales and $15 at the door on the day of the performance. The box office is located at 457 E. Calaveras Blvd. and on eventbrite. For more information, visit centerstagepa.org.

Downtown Ice

Hawaiian Airlines / Kristi Yamaguchi Downtown Ice will remain open an additional 28 days beyond its normal closing date to accommodate the thousands of visitors expected to stay in San Jose the weeks ahead of Super Bowl 50, to be played Feb. 7, 2016, at Levi”s Stadium in Santa Clara. Open through Super Bowl Sunday, Yamaguchi and her Always Dream Foundation partner with the San Jose Downtown Association to produce the outdoor rink at the Circle of Palms, 120 S. Market St. During November, early December and after the holidays in January, Downtown Ice is open 5-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 5 p.m.-12 a.m. on Friday; 12 p.m.-12 a.m. on Saturday; and 12-9 p.m. on Sunday. During the winter break the rink is open 11 a.m.-12 a.m. daily. During the week of the big game in February, the rink will extend its hours. The $13 to $17 general admission covers skate rental and one unlimited skating session. Discounts and details are at http://downtownicesj.com. The rink phone number is (408) 291-0525. Parking information is at http://parksj.org. Downtown Ice is located within steps of Christmas in the Park displays, which occupies Plaza de Cesar Chavez starting Nov. 28. These two downtown San Jose holiday attractions are supported in part by participants in the 5-kilometer TiVo Santa Run Silicon Valley held on Dec. 13. Dress up in costume and run a 5-kilometer race as lights descend on downtown.

Little League

Registration for the 2016 Milpitas National Little League season is now open. There are two ways to register, online at milpitasll.com, click “Registration Page,” or in-person through Jan. 9. Early bird registration will take place at Sports Authority in the Great Mall from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21, at Calaveras Round Table from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3 and from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12. Regular registration will take place at Calaveras Round Table from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016 and at Sports Authority from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016. Those who register online still need to come to an in-person registration to drop off verification documents (birth certificate, school enrollment form and medical release form).

Holiday Bazaar

John Sinnott Elementary School, 2025 Yellowstone Ave. will host a holiday bazaar on Saturday, Nov. 21 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Get a head start on your holiday shopping with the wares of more than 20 local artists available for purchase. The bazaar will also feature a holiday photobooth. For more information, email sinnottpta!gmail.com.

Writers ”come write-in”

As an official “come write in” location for National Novel Writing Month, Milpitas Public Library is dedicating a place and time for writers to work, meet other aspiring authors, get feedback and celebrate in each other”s successes. Every Saturday in November, join fellow writers in group study room A at the library, 160 N. Main St., for dedicated writing from noon-5 p.m. For more information, call (408) 262-1171, extension 3617.

Computer class

Vietnamese speakers can come to Milpitas Public Library”s computer training center on Sundays, Nov. 22 and 29 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. for free computer instruction. Knowledge of basic computer skills such as typing and use of the mouse are required. To practice class exercises, participants should bring a laptop. Classes last approximately two hours. No registration is required. For more information, call (408) 262-1171, extension 3616.

Get Covered

The current “open enrollment period” for Covered California insurance runs to Jan. 31. Existing plans expire on Dec. 31. To avoid any gaps in coverage, it is highly recommended that you sign up by Dec. 15. Sign-up sessions will take place every Sunday 12 – 3 p.m. through Jan. 24 (except for Dec. 20 and Dec. 27), in the Computer Training Center. Signups are free and no registration is required. For more information, call (408) 262-1171, extension 3617.

Senior survey

The City of Milpitas Senior Advisory Commission is currently asking adults 50 and older for their assistance in completing a survey that will take a “snapshot” of how seniors feel about services, programs and resources available in the city. The survey is comprised of multiple-choice questions and takes five to 10 minutes to complete. Topics covered include transportation, housing, social participation, employment and community health services and support. There is also an option for survey takers to reflect on what they appreciate and enjoy about living in Milpitas, as well as what issues need to be most urgently addressed. The survey will be available to the public until Friday, Jan. 15, 2016. It is available online at www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/survey.htm. Hard copies are also available in English, Vietnamese and Chinese. To request a hard copy, call the Barbara Lee Senior Center at (408) 586-3400.

NEXT WEEK

Back to school drive

Milpitas Community Educational Endowment”s annual Back to School Donation Drive has begun. The endowment would like the community”s support for the activities it runs, such as Ed-Tech Symposium and Project Inspire Speakers, and for building the endowment to support Milpitas Unified School District. The organization has raised $63,000 of its $100,000 goal. To add to the fun for the drive, a raffle component for a GoPro action camera package has been added this year. Raffle tickets can be purchased for $10 each; community members who make a donation will receive free raffle tickets. For more details, visit mceefoundation.org. To make an online donation, go to mceefoundation.org or mail it to MCEE, 1331 E. Calaveras Blvd., Milpitas. Matching donations from Google, Cisco, Oracle and VMWare are also accepted.

Overeaters Anonymous

Is food a problem for you? Overeaters Anonymous began hour-long weekly meetings starting on Nov. 2 that will continue 11 a.m. every Monday at the Mt. Olive Ministries (Lutheran Church), Room 101, located at East Calaveras Boulevard and Evans Road. The group is a fellowship of individuals who through shared experience, strength and hope are recovering from compulsive eating. There are no dues or fees for members. Overeaters Anonymous is not affiliated with any public or private organization, political movement, ideology or religious doctrine. Its primary purpose is to help people abstain from compulsive eating and carry this message of recovery to those who still suffer. For more information, call Sally at (408) 674-7234 or Karen at (408) 482-3009.

Green Thumb meeting

The Green Thumb Garden Club”s next regular meeting is Monday, Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. in the Community Room at the Milpitas Police Department., 1275 N. Milpitas Blvd. This month the speaker will be Cole B. Smith from the University of California”s Composting Education Program. The presentation will consist of the composting basics of how and what to compost along with a question and answer session. The public is welcome to join us for this presentation. The club meets the fourth Monday of the month. Throughout the year there are various activities, including speakers, workshops and demonstrations. There are also field trips to a variety of gardens, arboretums and nurseries. You need not be a resident of Milpitas to join the club. For more information about the speaker or the club contact Linda Worth at 408-262-4565 or e-mail worth_L@yahoo.com.

Citizenship class

Learn how to become a U.S. citizen. Study for the naturalization test, including civics and government questions, reading and writing English, and practicing your interview skills on Mondays, Nov. 23 and 30 from 7-8:30 p.m. at Milpitas Public Library, 160 N. Main St. For more information and to register, call (408) 262-1171, extension 3617.

Zumba classes

Zumba Gold will be taught by a licensed instructor from 11 a.m.-noon Mondays at Pioneer Mobile Home Park. Call Char at (408) 718-8059.

Zen meditation

Join a Zen meditation session at Milpitas Public Library, 160 N. Main St., on Monday, Nov. 23 from 7-8:30 p.m. The program is an introduction designed to teach the basics of sitting meditation, including postures, breathing techniques and focusing on chakras (energy points inside our body). For more information, call (408) 262-1171, extension 3617.

ESL conversation

Learn how Americans use English words in everyday life and conversation. Free classes are presented at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 1989 E. Calaveras Blvd., Tuesdays from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Classes center on using articles from the San Jose Mercury News and discussing words, use and meaning while reading the articles. For additional information call Mount Olive”s office at (408) 262-0506 or Dennis Graham at (408) 263-2348.

Ballroom dancing

Meet a new dance partner while moving to the rhythms of Western and Chinese music at a ballroom dancing class on Tuesdays, Nov 24, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Milpitas Public Library, 160 N. Main St. For more information, call (408) 262-1171, extension 3617.

Exploring Humans

The Milpitas Library is proud to present the Smithsonian Institution”s traveling exhibit, “Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean to Be Human?.” This 1,200-square-foot traveling exhibition includes more than 40 educational panels, interactive kiosks, hands-on displays, videos, 3-D skull casts and presentations representing groundbreaking research in the scientific study of human origins. “Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean to Be Human”? will highlight key milestones in the journey of human evolution and explain how they developed over time, including walking upright, the earliest known technologies, brain enlargement, symbolic language development, the origin of agriculture, and the creation of complex societies starting on Wednesday, Nov. 25.For more information, call (408) 262-1171 extension 3617.

Reading buddies

Children can now buddy up with a furry friend and read one-on-one from a favorite book at Milpitas Public Library, 160 N. Main St., on Saturday, Nov. 28 at 2 p.m. For kindergarten through fifth grade. Each 20-minute session is with a specially trained therapy dog and volunteer. This is a drop-in program held on the fourth Saturday of the month in the Children”s Activity Room. For more information, call (408) 262-1171, extension 3624.

LATER ON

Sister Cities

On Monday, Nov. 30, Milpitas Rotary Club will discuss the U.S.-Japan Sister Cities program, presented by Kathleen Kimura. Milpitas Rotary Club meets from 12-1:30 p.m. at Dave and Buster”s at the Great Mall.

Tree lighting

Join the City of Milpitas for the 28th annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Monday, Nov. 30, at the Civic Center Plaza, 457 E. Calaveras Blvd. at 7 p.m. Bundle up the family and come enjoy the entertainment, refreshments and a special visit from Santa. The event will include performances from the Jensen School for the Performing Arts and Center Stage. For more information regarding this event, call Ruby General at (408) 586-3206.

Christmas boutique

A Christmas boutique will take place on Sunday, Dec. 6 from 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at St. John Catholic Church, 279 S. Main Street. Vendors and entertainers are wanted. Contact Ligia at busyligia@sbcglobal.net or call (408) 263-0935, Susan at (408) 263-1153 and Maricris at (408) 263-1153.

Golden Hills Art Association

The next Golden Hills Art Association meeting will be on Thursday, Jan. 7 at the Milpitas Police Department Community Room at 7 p.m. Watercolor artist Linda Seiker will be the speaker-demonstrator. The community is invited to attend.

MUSD Crab Feed

The 12th annual Milpitas Unified School District”s crab feed and auction, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Milpitas, will take place on Friday, Feb. 5, 2016 from 5-9 p.m. at Milpitas Community Center, 457 E. Calaveras Blvd. The annual fundraising event features an all-you-can-eat crab dinner, a silent and live auction and entertainment provided by South Bay Kids from South Bay School of Music Arts. Proceeds support Kohl”s annual Cares for Kids program, which provides school uniforms, clothing and other personal items to 150 students whose families cannot afford them. The event also supports college scholarships to graduating seniors at Milpitas high schools. This year the foundation provided eight $1,500 scholarships to graduating seniors. Tickets are $50 per person and $45 before Jan. 9, 2016. To purchase tickets, visit kiwanisclubofmilpitas.eventbrite.com.

MHS science fair

Milpitas High School”s interschool science fair will be held in March 2016. Students in fifth through eighth grades and ninth through 12th grades from any school or city can enter old or new projects that have not won any previous science fairs. Students can enter the fair as individuals or groups. All participants will receive a certificate of participation from the Milpitas Board of Education president, and the opportunity to win free gifts and raffle prizes. All winners will receive a trophy and certificate from Milpitas High School Principal Cheryl Lawton and Milpitas Mayor Jose Esteves or Assemblymember Kansen Chu. To sign up, visit sites.google.com/site/milpitashighschoolscienceclub or email alanlepham@gmail.com.